May lbaman



(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 6, 1887.

M. LEAMAN.

BUSTLB.

UNITED STATES PATENT trios.

HAY LEAMAN, OF SAN JOS, CALIFORNIA.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,455, dated September 6, 1887.

A pplication liled April 23, 1887.

To au whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, MAY LIB AMAN, of San Jos, Santa Clara county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Combination Rustic-Skirts, and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a combination gan' ment, whichI a call a bustle-skirt.77 It consists of a pannier and the frame forming the tournure,adjustablyand removably fixed within a single garment,which is also formed with a fullness at the bottom and rear portion. W'ithin are two independentsets of transverse laeings, by which the form of the parts may be adjusted,the two being also separated,so as to increase the flexibility of the garment, the upper set of lacings being made elastic.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure l is a view of the garment. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the centerfrom front to rear. Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing the arrangement of the lacings in the interior.

The object of this invention is to provide in a single garment a pannier, bustle, and tournure, together with a fullness or drapery extending downward and backward from the bottom, which shall cause the dressskirt worn over this garment to have the proper set andgraceful fall of the back drapery.

A is the pannier portion of the garment, which is made by diagonally crossing steel springs B. These springs fit into pockets or cases which are formed inside of this portion of the garment, so that the elastic steel or bone strips may be easily introduced, and may also be removed entirely when it is desired to wash the garment. Below this portion of the garment a series of pockets or cases are made approximately horizontally about the rear portion of the garment, and into these are introduced other elastic strips, as shown at I), these strips increasing in length from above downward in the usual manner, so as to cause a graceful set and iiow to the back drapery of the dressskirt, which dts over this portion.

To the lower elastic strip or hoop is attached the bottom portion of the skirt E, which is gathered at the point of attachment, so as to Serial No. 235,936. (No model.)

make it very full and flowing at the bottom, this portion extending down to near the bot tom of the dress-shirt, which will be worn over it, and by reason of this fullness it causes the outside skirt to fit gracefully and the back drapery to flow in a proper manner from the waist to the bottom.

Across the front portion of the elastic curved strips extend transverse strips of cloth, F, which are provided with eyelet-holes arranged vertically along their inner edges to receive `lacings G, by which the inner edges may be drawn toward each other, or, when desired, may be allowed to separate by loosening the lacing. Instead of being made in one con tinuous strip from top to bottom, each of these strips F is cut transversely at a point just below the diagonal elastic strips B, which form the pannier portion, so as to allow the skirt to fold or bend when the wearer wishes to sit down. The upper portion of these transverse strips is united by an elastic lacing, I, which allows it to spread or contract to suit the necessities of the occasion. From this portion of the garment the front portion of the skirt is continued entirely around, asshown at J, so as to be put on by the wearer in the same manner as an ordinary skirt. only a single skirt is necessary, which contains the pannier, tournure, and the fullness of skirt which is necessary to support the back drapery of the dress-skirt and cause ittotlow properly to the bottom, and the shape of these parts is easily adjusted by means of the transverse strips and lacings, the whole forming the only garment necessary to wear to give the proper hang to the dress-skirt.

When it is desired to wash this garment, the elastic strips may all be taken out of the pockets or cases, into which they t, and the lacings removed, the same being replaced when desired.

I am aware that continuous bristles have been made extending to near the bottom of the dress, and also that garments have been made with lacing-strings, and I do not claim these, broadly; but

NVhat I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-e A single garment forming a skirt, pannier, and tournure, consisting of the upper portion By this construction having` the diagonally-arranged springs or thelower spring or hoop and a plain front or elastic strips crossing each other, and the vercontinuation,forrning the complete skirt, subtieal side strips extending inwardly from their stantiall y as described.

ends and united by elastic laeings crossing In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 5 each other, as shown, the lower vportion eonhand.

sisting of horizontally-arranged springs, with similar vertical strips united by non-elastic laeings and separated from the upper vertical Witnesses:

strips, in combination with a gathered owing S. H. NoURsE,

lo skirt extendingdownward and backward from I H. C. LEE.

MAY LEAMAN. 

